Full-time reaction of Roy Keane to Manchester Derby was uncomfortably jarring

Patrick McCarry

“They’re so far off, it’s hard to watch.”

Roy Keane has torn into Manchester United on plenty of occasions, particularly since Alex Ferguson moved on the club and standards quickly dropped. On the past few times he has covered a United versus Manchester City, the air has been taken out of him.

It has been a decade and counting since United last won a Premier League title. It will certainly be 11 years as the club has already lost five games before we have even reached November.

Erik ten Hag’s side looked bright in the opening 30 minutes but it looked like a done deal, as soon as Erling Haaland coolly slotted home a penalty. Haaland headed home a second, after the break, then turned provider to set another goal up for Phil Foden, as City won 3-0.

Following the game, Haaland told Sky Sports that United fans were trying to put him off his spot-kick by chanting the name of Roy Keane at him. Keane, of course, had a couple of infamous run-ins with Erling’s father, Alf-Inge.

“A lot of people were singing ‘Keano’ at me – I don’t know why – but it was nice to score,” said Haaland.

“I don’t know,” Keane later remarked, “where they chanting ‘Robbie Keane’?”

As soon as the full-time whistle sounded at Old Trafford, Keane seemed resigned to just how easily City had come to United’s home patch and played them off it.

“City were excellent, again. No surprise,” he began.

“As for United, I wouldn’t say embarrassed but I do feel for the United players. They are short in every aspect – technically, tactically and, worryingly, physically. United looked so off it. Just like the FA Cup final, City weren’t even at their best, but they were toying with them.

“I do feel for the United players – they were off on every level… a long way back for this team. A long way.”

"United… where do you start and where do you finish, long way back"

Roy Keane says Man City were 'toying' with Erik ten Hag's side 😬 pic.twitter.com/4KOYFfWrk0

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 29, 2023

Micah Richards agrees with Roy Keane

“It was a footballing lesson,” former Manchester City player Micah Richards observed, on Sky Sports.

“It was unbelievable. John Stones outstanding from centre back into centre mid. Man United just didn’t know what to do.”

“The key for me with City is, ‘Will they keep that hunger and desire?'” said Roy Keane. “And they did. You could see it at the end of the match, all of them running back… they’re going to take some stopping.”